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NEW YORK: 
PHILLIPS & HUNT 

CINCrNNATI: 

WALDEN & STOWE 

1883. 



The " Home College Series " will contain one hundred short papers on 
a wide range of subjects — biographical, historical, scientific, literary, domes- 
tic, political, and religious. Indeed, the religious tone will characterize all 
of them. They are written for every body — for all whose leisure is limited, 
but who desire to use the minutes for the enrichment of life. 

These papers contain seeds from the best gardens in all the world of 
human knowledge, and if dropped wisely into good soil, will bring forth 
harvests of beauty and value. 

They are for the young — especially for young people (and older people, 
too) who are out of the schools, who are fall of "business" and "cares," 
who are in danger of reading nothing, or of reading a sensational literature 
that is worse than nothing. 

One of these papers a week read over and over, thought and talked about 
at "odd times," will give in one year a vast fund of information, an intel- 
lectual quickening, worth even more than the mere knowledge acquired, a 
taste for solid reading, many hours of simple and wholesome pleasure, and 
ability to talk intelligently and helpfully to one's friends. 

Pastors may organize "Home College" classes, or "Lyceum Reading 
Unions," or " ChautauquasJiiterary and Scientific Circles," and help the 
young people to read and think and talk and live to worthier purpose. 

A young man may have his own little " college " all by himself, read this 
series of tracts one after the other, (there will soon be one hundred of them 
ready,) examine himself on them by tlie " Thought-Outline to Help the Mem- 
ory," and thus gain knowledge, and, what is better, a love of knowledge. 

And what a young man may do in this respect, a young woman, and both 

old men and old women, may do. 

J. H. Vincent. 

Nbw Yoek, Jan., 1888. 



Copyright, 188S, by Puu.mp« & Hitnt, New York. 



$omt ©oUtgt Series. ilMmtrcr <|fort»-st*'. 



"UNITED STATES. 



The ocean voyage is ended. A charming view greets the 
eye of the European tourist as the steamer glides into the 
spacious harbor of New York city. He has reached a land 
in which there are no splendid cathedrals like those of Milan 
and Cologne, no massive ruins like those in Rome, and but 
few masterpieces of sculpture and painting like those which 
adorn the galleries of Paris and Florence. But he will gaze 
upon natural scenery which is unsurpassed, and witness the 
efforts of a mighty people to work out a mighty destiny. 

Cities. — Kew York was settled by a Dutch colony in 1614. 
Its growth has been rapid, and it now ranks next to London 
and Paris among the cities of the civilized world. Its com- 
merce is great and growing. Broadway is lined with large 
business houses and hotels. Trinity Church faces Wall Street, 
which is a money-center, and the fashionable Fifth Avenue 
leads to Central Park, which is the pride of the city. Bos- 
ton is the chief city of New England, and is often called, 
because of its culture, the "Athens of America." Bunker 
Hill, on which there is a granite monument, and Faneuil 
Hall are places of historic interest. Harvard University and 
the noble Public Library are worthy of a visit, as well as 
Boston Common. 

Fast trains run in two hours from New York to Philadel- 
phia, ninety miles away. This city manufactures every thing 
from a pin to a locomotive engine, and it is a city of homes. 
On Chestnut Street stands the old State House, a plain brick 
structure. On the ground floor are two rooms filled with 



UNITED STATES. 



portraits and historical relics, and in one of these rooms was 
signed the Declaration of Independence. The old bell, which 
rung out when this great State paper was signed, is carefully 
preserved. Girard College and Fairmount Park, where, in 
1876, the Centennial Exhibition was held, are among the 
places of interest. 

Baltimore is the "Monumental City." The Washington 
Monument is the pride of the city, and the "Battle Monu- 
ment " is in memory of those who fell in the defense of the 
city against the British in 1814. 

Washington is the capital of the Republic. Its public 
buildings are of vast size, and a visit to them will give one 
some idea of the public business of the country. The Patent 
Office, with its great collection of models, displays the in- 
ventive genius of Americans. The Capitol is the most im- 
posing state-building in the world. It is 751 feet in length, 
covers three and a half acres of ground, and cost more than 
$13,000,000. It contains two large rooms where the branches 
of Congress meet, a rotunda, in which are historical paint- 
ings, a large library, and other rooms rich with various col- 
ored marbles and statuary. 

Other cities are : Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, New Or- 
leans, and San Francisco ; and a glance at the map will show 
their location. Their growth has been rapid. Never in his- 
tory have any cities grown with the rapidity of those in 
America, and he who would study the United States must 
begin with the study of its great cities. 

History. — The history of the United States may be divided 
into ^Aree periods : I. Colonial, (1619-1761 ;) II. Revolu- 
tionary, (1761-1789;) and III. National, (1789 to the 
present time.) 

I. Colonial, (1619-1761.) — The discovery of America, in 
1492, is one of the greatest events in the history of the world. 



UNITED STATES. 



Columbus was followed by many daring sailors from differ- 
ent parts of Europe, among whom were Americus Vespucius, 
who discovered South America; Cabot, who sailed along the 
coasts from Labrador to the Carolinas; De Soto, who discov- 
ered the Mississippi; and Hudson, who sailed up the river 
which bears his name. Settlements were made by the En- 
glish, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Swedes, on various parts 
of the coast ; but some of these were broken up or divided. 
In Virginia the English settlers met at Jamestown, in 1619, 
to make laws and form an assembly. Thus the settlement 
became a colony. Other colonies rapidly followed. 

The first settlers were adventurers, who came to make 
money rapidly. Many of them were lazy and profligate; and 
disease, cold, hunger, and the attacks of the Indians soon 
thinned their numbers. Then came a better class of persons. 

In 1682 William Penn, the Quaker, sailed up the Dela- 
ware, established a colony, made a famous treaty with the 
Indians, and founded the city of Philadelphia. In 1620, 
after a voyage of sixty-three days, the ship Mayflower reached 
Plymouth, and a company of Puritans landed. The Puritans 
were Englishmen who were opposed to the formal ceremo- 
nies of the Church of England. They were persecuted and 
fled, first to Holland and thence to America, where they hoped 
to have freedom to worship God. In the same year that 
they landed a Dutch trading-vessel sailed up the James River, 
in Virginia, and sold a cargo of negro slaves. Thus in these 
two ships were carried the seeds of two kinds of civilization, 
between which there arose, in after years, an "irrepressible 
conflict." 

The colonists had a struggle for existence. After they had 
subdued the wilderness discussions arose among them. In 
Maryland, Protestants persecuted Roman Catholics ; in New 
England, Puritans persecuted Baptists and Quakers. Quarrels 
arose between the French and English colonies, each claim- 
ing certain lands. The English settlers held the coast, and 



UNITED STATES. 



the French had a chain of military posts from Lake Erie to 
New Orleans. The struggle for national supremacy came, and 
for a time it was doubtful whether the land would be under 
French or English dominion. English valor triumphed, and 
Wolfe won a splendid victory on the heights of Quebec. 

II. Revolutionary Period, (IVei-lYSO.)— In 1761 George 
III. ascended the throne of England, and began his event- 
ful reign of sixty years. To replenish his treasury he resort- 
ed to an odious system of taxation. The Stamp Act was 
passed, and the clamor Avhich arose caused it to be repealed. 
Then a tax was laid upon tea. The tax was small, but the 
people refused to pay it. They held that the colonies should 
not be taxed without their consent. The Americans were 
not represented in the English Parliament, and they held, 
with great force of reasoning, that taxation without repre- 
sentation was tyranny. In this view they were upheld by 
two of England's greatest orators — Chatham and Burke. 
Tlie agitation increased, and in the year 1774 delegates from 
the colonies met in Philadelphia to consider the situation. 
They formed what is known as the First Continental Con- 
gress, and among it were men whose names are now "house- 
hold words.". War was declared, and the battle of Bunker 
Hill was fought. The Americans now despaired of justice 
being done to them as British subjects, and began to desire 
independence. In June, 1776, Lee arose in Congress, which 
met in Philadelphia, and declared that the United Colonies 
were, and ought to be, free and independent States. A 
month later a paper, giving reasons why the colonies should 
be independent, was signed by all the members. This paper 
is the Declaration of Independence. It was drawn up by a 
committee of five, consisting of Jefferson, John Adams, 
Franklin, Sherman, and Livingston, and its adoption marks 
the birth of the American nation. 

The war continued. The armv of the colonists suffered 



UNITED STATES. 



much at times from lack of supplies, and the treachery of 
Arnold barely failed of success. But the wisdom of Wash- 
ington, who led the army, and the courage of the soldiers, 
and the firmness of the people were not in vain; and the 
victory over Cornwallis ended the war. The colonies became 
free, and were declared to be so by the Treaty of Paris in 
1783. The country at that time extended from Florida to 
the St. Lawrence River, and from the Atlantic to the Mis- 
sissippi. 

This period was fertile in great men, and first among these 
was George Washington. He was born in Virginia in 1732, 
and was chosen Commander-in-chief of the American forces 
in 1775. He was wise, brave, and good. In his army orders 
he rebuked profanity, and urged the proper observance of 
the Sabbath. He held power not for his own sake, but for 
that of his country, and he died in 1799 lamented, not alone 
by the American nation, but by the whole civilized world. 
His remains rest in the vault at Mount Vernon — his former 
home. 

Thomas Jefferson wrote nearly all of that great State 
paper, the Declaration of Independence. He was for eight 
years President of the Republic, and was opposed to the 
pomp and show seen in European courts. He was opposed 
to Washington in this, that he favored giving a larger share 
of power directly into the hands of the people. 

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706. He be- 
came a printer, an editor, a man of science, a diplomatist, 
and, best of all, a philanthropist. His career was remark- 
able, and worthy of study and imitation. He died in 1790 
at the ripe age of eighty-five years. He saw the coming 
strife between the colonies and England, and proposed a 
plan to avoid it. His discoveries in electricity made him 
famous, and his eulogy is found in those oft-quoted words, 
" He snatched the lightning from the sky and the scepter 
from the tyrants." 



6 UNITED STATES. 



Samuel Adams was a scholar and an orator. In an oration 
delivered in August, 1776, he spoke of England as "a nation 
of shop-keepers" — a phrase which Napoleon used twenty 
years afterward, and is supposed to be original with him. 

Patrick Henry was the orator of the Revolution, and liis 
style of speaking was fiery and impetuous. The speech of 
1765, said Jefferson, "gave the earliest impulse to the ball 
of revolution." In it occurs the passage, " Caesar had his 
Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the 
Third" — (" Treason! " " Treason! " resounded from all parts 
of the assembly) — " may profit by their example. If that be 
treason, make the most of it!" In 1775 he gave voice to 
the feeling of the liberty-loving people of the colonies: "If 
we wish to be free we must fight. An appeal to arms and 
to the God of hosts is all that is left to us." 

John Adams was among the most eminent of the states- 
men of this period. He was a thorough scholar, and several 
volumes of his writings remain. At the early age of nine- 
teen, in the year 1755, he predicted the coming nation, and 
said, alluding to the infant colonies: "The only way to keep 
us from setting up for ourselves is to disunite us." 

During the seven years of war the colonies were kept to- 
gether by the Articles of Confederation. These were not 
satisfactory, as they permitted a conflict of powers between 
the. colonies. In 1787 a convention was held in Philadelphia. 
There were stormy debates, but, guided by the wisdom of 
the venerable Franklin, a Constitution was framed and sent 
to the States for adoption. It was agreed to, and on the 4tli 
of March, 1789, became the great law of the Republic. Tlien 
was the Confederacy of States fused into a single nation, and 
a new career of prosperity began. 

III. National Period, (1789 to the present time.) — Washing- 
ton was chosen President, and John Adams Vice-President. 
Washington served two terms of four years each, and then 



UNITED STATES. 



declined a re-election for a third term. In 17 96 he issued his 
Farewell Address, which is a noble document and weighty 
with words of wisdom. In 1790 the city of Washington was 
laid out, and ten years later it was declared to be the na- 
tional capital. During the century the country has grown 
with great rapidity. A tide of emigration at once crossed 
the Alleghanies, and in 1802 Ohio was admitted into the 
Union. In 1803 Louisiana was purchased from France, in 
1806 Florida from Spain, and in 1867 Alaska from Russia. 
The invention of steam-boats and railroads stimulated emi- 
gration, and caused the fertile valley of the Mississippi to be 
settled. In 1849 gold was discovered on the Pacific coast, 
and the State of California was formed. The whole land 
was filled with the triumphs of the arts of peace. 

Three wars mark the century. The first was against Great 
Britain, which claimed the right to search American ships. 
It continued two years, and ended in 1814. The second was 
against Mexico. It grew out of the annexation of Texas, 
and ended in 1848; and New Mexico and California were 
the fruits of the victories of Scott and Taylor. The third 
was a war which threatened the life of the nation. For years 
feeling had arisen between the free and slave States when- 
ever a new State was to be admitted. The South found slave 
labor to be profitable, and desired to extend it; the North 
bitterly opposed such extension. In 1850 California desired 
to be admitted into the Union as a free-labor State. Violent 
discussion took place, and the Compromise of Henry Clay 
was agreed to. California might come in as a free State, 
but if slaves should escape from the South into the free 
States, they should be given up to their owners. This last 
measure, known as the Fugitive Slave Law, was violently 
opposed in the New England States. In 1856 there was 
great strife as to whether Kansas should be a free or slave 
State, but it ended in 1861, and Kansas became a free State 
of the Republic. So the strife went on, intensified by the 



8 UNITED STATES. 



raid of John Brown, until, in 1860, Abraham Lincoln, who 
was opposed to the further extension of slavery, was elected. 
The Southern States seceded, and formed a Confederacy. 
Fort Sumter was attacked in the spring of 1861, and the war 
began. It continued four years, and for a time results 
seemed doubtful. The Southern ports were blockaded, but 
the North made but little headway. Then the Mississippi 
River was opened, then followed the march of Sherman and 
his army through Georgia to the sea, and finally the capture 
of Richmond by Grant and the sui-render of the army of 
Lee. The war ended, but the joy of the nation was clouded 
by the assassination of Lincoln, April 15, 1865. 

Since then the country has enjoyed a period of peace, 
under the administrations of Presidents Grant and Hayes. 
The death of President Garfield by the hands of an assassin, 
in 1881, moved the country deeply, but did not disturb its 
prosperity. The union of States seems to be firm, and the 
prayer of every patriot heart is, " God save the Republic ! " 

Several events may be noticed. In 1795 the Whisky In- 
surrection occurred. It Avas caused by a refusal of the 
whisky-makers to pay the tax, and was soon suppressed. 
In 1804 the duel took place between Hamilton and Burr. 
Hamilton was killed, and Burr gathered a band of troops to 
seize Texas. It was thought that he really intended to 
divide the Union, but his suspected treachery could not be 
proved. In 1824 the distinguished Lafayette, who had aided 
so nobly in the war for independence, visited America, and 
was greeted with great enthusiasm. In 1825, the Erie Canal, 
over 360 miles in length, was finished, and Lake Erie was 
coimected with the Hudson River. In 1828 a Protective 
Tariff was adopted to encourage manufactures, but the 
tariff has ])een, and is, a cause of trouble. In 1832 it led 
South Carolina to the verge of secession, which was avoided 
only by the firmness of President Jackson and the " Com- 
promise" measure of Henry Clay. Jackson declared that 



UNITED STATES. 



in his administration he acted upon the principle — ask noth- 
ing but what is right, and submit to notliing that is wrong. 
In 1826, on the 4th of July, just fifty years after the Dec- 
laration of Independence, died Thomas Jefferson and John 
Adams. They were two of the five which had drawn up 
that document, and each had been Vice-President and then 
President of the United States. 

The Land. — The American Republic comprises the best 
portion of the continent of North America. It is in the 
temperate zone, and is bounded east and west by great 
oceans, north by the chain of lakes and the river St. Law- 
rence, and south by the Gulf of Mexico. It is about 2,800 
miles from east to west, and on an average 1,200 miles from 
north to south. Two mountain ranges traverse the country, 
and in Colorado the loftiest peaks rise to a height of 14,000 
feet. Rivers abound, and some of them are of great length. 
There are rich mines of coal and iron in the East, copper in 
the North, and gold and silver in the West. The valley of 
the Mississippi is of vast extent, and its fertility is only sur- 
passed by the valley of the Nile. A good portion is either 
unsettled or thinly settled, though there is a present popu- 
lation of more than 50,000,000. The natural scenery is very 
fine, and the Hudson River and Lake George will compare 
favorably with the river Rhine and Lake Geneva. Among 
the great natural curiosities are Niagara Falls, the Mammoth 
Cave, and the Yellowstone and Yosemite Parks. 

To govern a country of such vast extent would not have 
been easy in ancient times; but modern inventions have 
practically brought all parts near together. In 1807 Robert 
Fulton took a boat " against wind and tide from New York 
to Albany in 36 hours;" and in 1844 Professor Morse sent 
his first telegraphic message. Railroads connect all the great 
cities, and the road from Omalia to San Francisco is among 
the great engineering works of the century. A common 



10 UNITED STATES. 



language, the steam-engine, the telegraphic wire, and the 
-clieap postal system, are among the things which make it 
possible for the United States to be one nation. 

The People. — The American is mainly an Englishman, 
modified by climate and by mixture with other races. He 
is of English descent, he speaks the language of Chatham 
and Burke, he reads the English version of the Bible, and 
is familiar w4th Shakespeare and Milton. His mind is nour- 
ished with the literature of England, and his view^s on great 
subjects are mainly formed by contact with English waiters. 
Blackstone teaches him law: Adam Smith, the principles of 
political economy; and Barrow, Burnet, and Matthew Hen- 
ry, religious truth. 

Climate and country have made the American as well as 
race. He is thin in face and voice, restless, and ready to 
move west and "locate" where he can improve his condition. 
He is fond of travel and adventure, and has built steam-boats, 
liotels, and luxurious cars, which are among the wonderful 
things of the age. Like all civilized people, he is eager to 
make money and to read the newspajjer. His inventive 
genius is great, and is sharpened by the struggle for wealth. 
The sewing-machine, the cabinet organ, the reaping-ma- 
chine, are but a few of the many inventions with which he 
has enriched the nation. His patriotism is strong, and he is 
ever ready to speak of his "great and glorious country" 
with pardonable pride. He is fond of stirring oratory, and 
insists that every public man should make a speech. Con- 
ventions are held of all kinds, and a great speaker soon 
becomes conspicuous. The two great themes are politics 
and religion. The most eminent secular orators are Clay, 
Everett, and Webster, whose masterly reply to Hayne 
places him in the first rank. Among pulpit orators Chan- 
ning is the best known abroad. Such is the American type, 
but it is changing, owing to constant immigration. In some 



UNITED STATES, 11 



-of the western cities the German influence is making itself 
strongly felt. 

Government. — The settlements in America gradually be- 
came colonies, and these were thirteen in number when the 
war of the Revolution began. It was then found that the 
colonies must unite as one State in the war with Great Brit- 
ain. In 1777 Franklin and others wrote laws to bind the 
colonies to concert of action. These were agreed to, and 
formed the Articles of Confederation. After peace was 
restored it was found that these were not sufficiently com- 
prehensive and binding. State-riglits and State jealousies 
made constant trouble until, in a spirit of compromise, the 
States gave up certain privileges to a general government 
formed according to a National Constitution. This Con- 
stitution provides for three branches of government — the 
Legislative, Judicial, and Executive. Congress, which is com- 
posed of the Senate and House of Representatives, makes 
the laws, and has power among other things to levy and 
collect taxes, to regulate commerce, to coin money, declare 
war, and establish post-offices. The Executive power is 
vested in a President, who holds office for a term of four 
years, and who is chosen by electors elected by the j)eople 
of the States. He is aided in his work by a Cabinet com- 
posed of the chiefs of the departments. The Judicial power 
is vested in a Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as 
Congress ordains. 

The growth of the Republic has created a large number 
of offices of wealth or honor. This fact, with the frequency 
of elections, causes great political excitement. Money is 
freely spent to procure the election of a candidate. Some- 
times the political j^arties are animated by great principles, 
but in local elections it is often a selfish struggle between 
those who are in office and those who wish to take their 
places. The leaders of political parties are often animated 



12 UNITED STATES. 



by the sentiment, "To the victors belong the spoils." Efforts 
are now being made to check the evils of party patronage 
and to promote a reform in the civil service. 

The good and evil results of popular suffrage are clearly 
to be seen. Foreigners who are " f lee white persons," or of 
"African nativity," may become citizens, but this privilege 
is denied to any person from China. The interest felt at 
every oft-recurring election is often intense. Party spirit 
runs liigh, but the party vote is not always free for the 
best candidates, but for those who have been nominated 
by certain party leaders and their friends at " primary 
meetings." 

As a rule the cities are badly governed, but a better state 
of things is hoped for. Constant watchfulness is required 
to prevent fraud and to enforce the laws against popular 
vices. 

Literature. — The colonists depended on England for their 
literature. They wrote treatises and pamphlets; but these 
are of value only as curiosities. The first writer known to 
Europe was Jonathan Edwards, (1703-1757,) and his work 
on " The Freedom of the Will " is his monument. The the- 
ology of Edwards left a deep impress upon the age, and still 
survives. Benjamin Franklin edited, for twenty-five years, 
"Poor Richard's Almanac," in which he taught the people 
the way "to be healthy, wealthy, and wise." His sayings 
abound in shrewd sense and humor, and many have become 
current in the languages. The Revolutionary period v»^as 
one of controversy. Political writers, as Jay, Madison, and 
Hamilton, wrote essays in the "Federalist," which had great 
weight in settling the form of government. Some of their 
views were strongly opposed by Thomas Jefferson. Since 
that period a host of writers has appeared in every de- 
partment of literature. Cooper ranks first among novelists 
in America, and some of his thirty-four novels have been 



UNITED STATES. 13 



translated into the languages of Europe. He is not equal, 
however, to Hawthorne, whose "Scarlet Letter" and "Marble 
Faun " have won the highest praise of critics. "Uncle Tom's 
Oabin," by Mrs. Stowe, had an immense circulation abroad 
and at home. 

Washington Irving won his fame by his " Sketch-Book." 
He is a genial essayist of the Addison school, and his style 
is pure and graceful. Bryant, Whittier, and Lowell are 
among the poets of America, but the highest place must be 
given to Henry W. Longfellow, who is as popular in En- 
gland as in America. " Evangeline " is said to be his best 
poem; but he will live longest in his minor pieces, such as 
the " Psalm of Life " and the " Village Blacksmith." 

Historians are numerous. Bancroft's " History of the 
L^nited States" has been generally accepted as the standard 
history. Prescott and Motley have written histories of for- 
eign lands which are as eagerly read abroad as at home; and 
Ticknor has written a work on Spanish literature which is 
the best on the subject. 

Other writers, well known abroad, are Channing and Rob- 
inson, whose " Biblical Researches " gave an impulse to 
"Palestine Explorations;" and Emerson, whose "Essays" 
have had a marked influence ; and Edgar A. Poe, whose 
*' Raven " gives him a peculiar place. Others have a fleet- 
ing fame, and some who are humorous are popular abroad. 
But as yet there is little that is enduring. Writers of abil- 
ity give their strength to magazines and newspapers, and 
their work is marked by haste. American literature is still 
in the bud — the flower and fruit are yet to come. 

Religion. — There is no State Church in America, and 
Congress has no power to establish any. The Christian 
religion prevails, and Churches of all denominations abound. 
The Methodist Churches are the most numerous, and recog- 
nize John Wesley as their spiritual founder. The Baptists 



14 UNITED STATES. 



are strong, especially in the Soiitliern States. The Protest- 
ant Episcopal Church corresponds to the Established Church 
of England in doctrines and liturgy, and the Congregational 
Churches were founded by the Puritans of New England. 
The Presbyterian Churches are numerous, and the Reformed 
Churches are the outgrowth of the Dutch settlements in New 
York and New Jersey. Protestantism is largely in the as- 
cendant. The Roman Catholic Church is strong in certain 
cities, and has a political influence out of proportion to its 
numbers. Its growth is mainly due to immigration from 
Ireland and Germany, and it has costly public buildings in 
the centers of population. It is the steady and persistent 
foe of the public-school system, and this fact has awakened 
much feeling. 

Among the minor sects is Mormonism, whose home is in 
Utah, and whose peculiar feature — polygamy — has caused 
it to be strongly opposed. 

Within recent years the European element has modified 
American society. Sunday in the cities is becoming a holi- 
day, and travel on that day is increasing. Strong drinks are 
freely used, though the party which favors abstinence has 
been of late increasing. In the legislation of some of the 
Western States increased facilities are given for divorces. 
It is to be feared that non-attendance at Church services is 
increasing. These evils are seen, and strong efforts are put 
forth to check them. 

Complaint has been made that the Christian religion is not 
recognized in the Constitution of the United States. In 
1789 Washington, in reply to a communication on this sub- 
ject, declared " that the path of true piety is so plain as to- 
require but little political direction." Certain it is, that the 
government of the country was molded by Christian influ- 
ences. The key-note of Webster's masterly speech in the 
Girard Will case is — " Christianity is a part of the law of 
the land." 



UNITED STATES. 15 



Social Life. — The social life of the Republic is constantly 
changing. The early settlers were from various lands of 
Europe ; but the English settlers predominated. Slavery 
wrought a great change, and the South remained stationary 
while the North rapidly grew in commerce and manufact- 
ures. A feeling of hostility grew up, and efforts were made 
to extend and to limit the progress of slavery. War fol- 
lowed, and settled the vexed question fully and forever. 
On the 1st of January, 1863, the Emancipation Proclama- 
tion of President Lincoln set more than 3,000,000 of bonds- 
men free. In 1864 200,000 of these freedmen were soldiers 
in the National army, and in 18*70 it was declared that the 
rights of citizens shall not be denied or abridged " on ac- 
count of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." 

Since the civil war there has been made great progress in 
all the arts of life. Travel to foreign lands has increased. 
The architecture of public and private buildings is more 
varied than formerly. Public parks have been laid out, and 
museums and galleries of art are in process of formation. 
Increased attention is given to the higher class of music, 
and artistic taste is shown in dress and furniture. Colleges 
were early established, but only of late have they been lib- 
erally endowed. 

Whether public morality has grown apace with public 
refinement, is a serious question. The struggle between 
capital and labor is increasing. But the American patriot 
will recall the triumphs of the past century, and will not 
despair of the Republic. 



16 UNITED STATES. 



NOTES. 

There are many histories of the United States. Bancroft's 
history, in nine volumes, is a standard work. Ridpath's his- 
tory is a good one, in a single volume. There are also some 
excellent smaller volumes. Lossing's "Field-Book of the 
Revolution," and Washington Irving's "Life of Washington," 
treat of an important period. 

In one of the rooms of Independence Hall is the " Old 
Bell" which rang out on the 4th of July, 1776, and pro- 
claimed the birth of the nation. On its iron rim are inscribed 
the words of Scripture, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the 
land unto all the inhabitants thereof. Lev. xxv, 10." 

The first Continental Congress was held in Carpenter's 
Hall, Philadelphia. This hall is an interesting relic. In 
it met such men as John and Samuel Adams, Washington, 
Patrick Henry, and Lee ; and here a Protestant Episcopal 
clergyman made an extemporaneous prayer which made tears 
run down the faces of all men — even of the Quakers. 

Little things betray character. The following sentences 
will show something of the character of those who helped to 
shape the destiny of the United States: 

"A Bible and a newspaper in every house — a good school 
in every district." — Franklin. 

" The poor are my best patients, for God is their paymas- 
ter." — Dr. Benjamin Rush. 

" I have now disposed of all my property to my family. 
There is one thing more I wish that I could give them, and 
that is the Christian religion. If they had this, and I had 
not given them one shilling, they would be rich; and if they 
had it not, and I had given them all the world, they would 
be poor." (Extract from the Will of Patrick Henry.) 



[THOUQHT-OtTTLINE tO HELP THE MKMOBY.] 

1. Approach? Its great cities ? 

2. Periods in its history ? Discovery? Settlement? Puritans? Perils? 

3. Revolution? Cause? Length? Principal actors ? 

4. Constitutional history ? Other wars? Ending in 1814— 1848— 1865 ? Specia) 



5. Physical Features ? Rivers— Mountains— Lakes ? Communication? 

0. Popular characteristics? National Government? Legislative? Executive? 

7. Authors? Churches? Sects? Dangers? Serious questions ? 



<D:Ej:.j^TjrPj^TJ<QTj^fs^ te:2^t-:book:s. 



10 



No. 1. Biblical Exploration. A Con- 
densed Manual on How to Study the 
Bible. By J. H. Vincent, D.D. Fall 
and rich , lo 

No. 2. Studies of the Stars. A Pocket 
Guide to the Science of Astronomy. 
BjH. W.Warren, D.D 10 

No. 3. Bible Studies for Little People. 
By Rev. B. T. Vincent 10 

No. 4. English History. By J. H. Vin- 
cent, D.D 

No. 5. Greek History. By J. H. Vin- 
cent, D.D 

No= 6. Greek Literature. By A, D. 
Vail, D.D 20 

No. 7. Memorial Days of the Chautau- 
qua Literary and Scientific Circle 

No. 8. What Noted Men Think of the 
Bible. By L. T. Townsend, D.D. . 

No. 9. William Cullen Bryant 

No. 10. What ig Education? By Wm. 
P.Phelps, A.M : 

No. 11, Socrates. By Prof. W. P. Phelps, 
A.M 

No. 12. Pestalozzi. Bv Prof. W p! 
Phelps, A.M '. 10 

No. 13, Anglo-Saxon. By Prof. Albert 
S.Cook 20 

No. 14, Horace Mann. By Prof. Wm. 
F. Phelps, A.M 10 

No. 1ft. Frcebel. By Prof. Wm. P. 
Phelps, A,M 10 

No. 16, Roman History. By J. H. Vin- 
cent, D,D 10 

No. 17. Roger Aschara and John Sturm. 
Glimijses of Education io the Six- 
teenth Century. By Prof. Wm. P. 
Phelps, A.M 10 

No. 18. Christian Evidences. By J. H. 
Vincent, D.D 10 



10 



10 



10 



10 



No. 19. The Book of Books, By J, M. 

Freeman, D.D lo 

No, 20, The Chautauqua Hand-Book. 

By J. H. Vincent, D.D 10 

No. 21. American History. By J. L. 

Hurl but, A.M lo 

Nn. 22. Biblical Biology. By Rev. J 

H. Wythe, A.M., M.D 10 

No. 23. English Literature. By Prof. 

J. H. Gilmore 20 

No, 24. Canadian History, By James 

L. Hughes 10 

No. 25. Self- Education. By Joseph Al- 

den. D.D., LL.D 

No. 26. The Tabernacle. By Rev. John 

C.Hill 10 

No. 27. Readings from Ancient Classics. 10 
No, 28. Manners and Customs of Bible 

Times. By J. M. Freeman, D.D 10 

No. 29. Man's Antiquity and Language. 

By M. 8. Terry, D.D 10 

No. 30. The World of Missions. By 

Henry K. Carroll 10 

No. 31. What Noted Men Think of 

Christ, By L. T. Townsend, D.D. ... 10 
No. 32. A Brief Outline of the History 

of Art. By Miss Julia B. De Forest. . 10 
No. 33. Elihu Burritt: "The Learned 

Blacksmith." By Charles Northend. 10 
Na 34. Asiatic History: China, Corea, 

Japan. By Rev. Wm. Elliot Griffls.. 10 
No. 35. Outlines of General History. 

By J, H. Vincent, D.D 10 

No. 36. Assembly Bible Outlines. By 

J. H. Vincent, D.D 10 

No. 37. Assembly Normal Outlines. By 

J. H, Vincent. D,D 10 

No. 38. The Life of Christ. By Rev. 

J. L. Hurlbut, M.A 10 

No, 39. The Sunda> -School Normal 
Cla^, By J. H. Vincent, D.D 10 



10 



Published by PHILLIPS jt HUNT, $05 Broadway, New York. 



TRACTS 



^ro^A7 



RE 

No. 
39- 



omo Oollog'o Sorios. 

Price, each, 5 cents. Per 100, for cash, $3 50. 

The " Home College Series" will contain short papers on a wide range of subjects — 
biographical, historical, scientific, literary, domestic, political, and religious. Indeed, th« 
religious tone will characterize all of them. They are written for every body— for all 
whose leisure is limited, but who desire to use the minutes for the enrichment of life. 

ADY. 

Diamonds and other Precious 

Stones. By Alfred Taylor. 
Memory Practice. 
Gold and Silver. By Alfred Taylor. 
Meteors. By C. M. Westlake, M.S. 
Aerolites, By C. M. Westlake, M.S. 
France. By J. I. Boswell. 
Euphrates Valley. By J. I. Boswell. 
United States. By J. I. Boswell. 
The Ocean. By Miss Carrie R. Dcn- 

nen. 
Two Weeks in the Yosemite and 

Vicinity. By J. M. Buckley, D.D 
Keep Good Company. By Samiu 

Smiles. 
Ten Days in Switzerland. By H. B, 

Ridgaway, D.D. 
Art in the Far East. By E. A. Rand. 
Readings from Cowper. 
Plant Life. By Mrs. V. C. Phabus. 
Words. By Mrs. V. C. Phoebus. 
Readings from Oliver Goldsmith. 
Art in Greece. Pan I. 
Art in Italy. Part I. 
Art in Germany. 
Art in France. 
Art in England. 
Art in America. 
Readings from Tennyson. 
Readings from Milton. Part I. 
Thomas Chalmers. By Daniel Wise 

D.D. 
Rufus Choate. 
The Temperance Movement versuB 

The Liquor System. 
Germany. 



1. Thomas Carlyle. By Daniel Wise, 

D.D. 

2. William Wordsworth. By Daniel 

Wise, D.D. 

3. Egypt. By J. I. Boswell. 

4. Henry W^ordsworth Longfellow. 

By Daniel Wise, D.D. 

5. Rome. By J. I. Boswell. 

6. England. By J. I. Boswell. 

7. The Sun. By C. M. Westlake, M.S. 

8. Washington Irving. By Daniel Wise, 

D.D. 

9. Political Economy. By G. M. Steele, 

D.D. 149, 

o. Art in Egypt. By Edward A. Rand. I 
I.Greece. By J. I. Boswell. 50, 

2. Christ as a Teacher. By Bishop E.! 

Thomson. 151, 

3. George Herbert, By Daniel Wise, i 53, 

D.D. i53, 

4. Daniel the Uncompromising Young 54. 

Man. By C. H. Payne, D.D. 55, 

5. The Moon. By C. M. Westlake, M.S. 56. 

6. The Rain. By Miss Carrie E. Den- 



57- 

|58. 

Daniel Wise, 1 59. 

J60. 



iy J. I. Boswell. 
C. M. Westlake, 



By 65. 

66. 



nen. 

17. Joseph Addison. By 

D.D. 

18. Edmund Spenser. By Daniel Wise,! 6 

D.D. !6 

19. China and Japan. B 

20. The Planets. By 

M.S. 

21. William Hickling Prescott 

Daniel Wise, D.D. 

22. Wise Sayings of the Common 

Folk. 

23. William Shakespeare. By Daniel 

Wise, D.D. 

24. Geometry. 

25. The Stars. By C. M. Westlake, M.S. 

26. John Milton. By Daniel Wise, D.D. 
a;. Penmanship. 

28. Housekeeper's Guide. 

29. Themistocles and Pericles, (From 72, 

Plutarch.) 

30. Alexander. (From Plutarch.) 

31. Coriolanus and Maximus. (From 
Plutarch.) 

Demosthenes and Alcibiades. (From 
Plutarch.) 

The Gracchi. (From Plutarch.) 

Caesar and Cicero. (From Plutarch.) 

Palestine. By J. I. Boswell. 

Readings from William Words- 
worth. 

The Watch and the Clock. By Al- 
fred Tsylor. 

A Set of Tools. By Alfred Taylor. 



71- 



quor jsyste 
r. By/. I. 
J from Milt 



Boswell. 
Readings from Milton. Part II. 
Reading and Readers. By H. C. 

Farrar, A.B. 
The Cary Sisters. By Miss Jennie M. 

Bingham. 
A Few Facts about Chemistry. By 

Mrs. V. C. Phoebus. 
A Few Facts about Geology. By 

Mrs. V. C. Phabus. 
A Few Facts about Zoology. By 

Mrs. V. C. Phcebus. 
Circle (The) of Sciences. 
Daniel Webster. By Dr. C. Adams. 
The World of Science. 
Comets. By C. M. Westlake, M.S. 
Art in Greece, Part II. 
Art in Italy. Part II. 
Art in Land of Saracens. 
Art in Northern Europe. Part I. 
Art in Northern Europe, Part II. 
Art in Western Asia. By E. C. 

Rand. 



Published by Phillips & Hunt, New York ; VValden & Stowe, Cincinnati, Ohio, 
























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